Applied Research Network - Terms of Reference

Purpose
The Council of Atlantic Premiers Secretariat Business Plan 2004-05 targets better access to national research funding programs as one of its objectives. Member colleges of the Atlantic Provinces Community College Consortium also desire to enhance their applied research agendas. As a result, APCCC has incorporated into its work plan for 2004-2005 the objective of establishing an Applied Research Network with a goal of advancing applied research and innovation at the college level through collaboration, cooperation and sharing of best practices.

Membership
The membership of the network should include one representative who has administrative responsibility for applied research and one researcher from each APCCC member college. In addition, the APCCC Executive Director will be an ex-officio member.

The Chair will rotate on an annual basis.

Meetings
Meeting of the network will normally be held via conference call with a requirement for one meeting per semester. Where the members feel it necessary to have face-to-face meetings, institutional protocols for travel should guide the decision and associated costs will be the responsibility of the member institutions.

Expected outcomes

The network will:

  • Provide a forum for sharing of best practices
  • Advise APCCC on policy issues related to research funding
  • Explore appropriate partnerships within the Consortium to advance applied research at the college level (e.g. joint grant applications, sharing expertise, etc.)
  • Dialogue with its university counterparts, such as AAU, to identify common issues related to informing policy and practice
  • Dialogue with universities, business and industry, other private sector organizations and strategic partners to identify partnerships for grant applications and project development in support of applied research and commercialization
  • Explore links to national and international contacts and opportunities
  • Establish a protocol for Pan Atlantic response to applied research and innovation initiatives.
  • Develop linkages with the ACCC Applied Research Network